Opening Keynote

Wednesday, Nov. 13
9am EST

State of gene therapy in ophthalmology 

Eric Pierce, MD, PhD

Director, Harvard Ophthalmology Ocular Genomics Institute
William F. Chatlos Professor of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School

Eric Pierce, MD, PhD, is an ophthalmologist and molecular geneticist whose research program is dedicated to understanding the molecular mechanisms of inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs) and improving therapeutic interventions for these conditions.

IRDs are a leading cause of blindness worldwide and are characterized by progressive dysfunction and death of retinal photoreceptor cells. Pierce’s research program is focused on identifying new IRD disease genes, investigating the mechanism by which mutations in the identified genes lead to blindness, and using this information about disease pathogenesis to develop rational therapies to prevent vision loss.

In his keynote, Pierce will discuss the latest advancements, key challenges and future directions of gene therapy research for ophthalmic diseases and disorders.